Method of making and delivering gases.



No. 863,730. PATENTED AUG. 20, 1907..

B. LOOMIS & H. PETTIBONE. METHOD OF MAKING AND DELIVERING-GASES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15,1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

l. 0 I I L m 10. 'p dLl" PATENTED AUG. 20; 1907. B. LOOMIS & H.PETTIBONE'. METHOD OF MAKINGAND DELIVERING: GASES.

APPLIOA'I ION IIEED 8321215, 1906- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED snares Prvrnnr heron.

BURDETT- ooms, or HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, AND HAWLEY PETTIBONE, or NEWROCHELLE, NEW YORK.

nnrnon or Max ne AND nnmvnnrne eases.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Au so, 1907.

' Driginal application filed December 7 1903, Serial No. 184,144.Renewed March 14, 1906, Serial No. 306,014. Divided and this 1applicationfiled September 16, 1906- Serial No. 334,792.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known'that we, Bunnnrr Looms and HAWLEY 'PErr1noNn-,. citizensoithc United States, residing, re-

spect'ively; at-Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State oi;Connecticut, and at New Rochelle, in the county of Westchester andState. of New York,'have invented certain new and useful lmprovements'ingas-engines, and to improvements int-he method of opera-ting suchengines in connection with an apparatus such as aforesaid.

The object of the invention is to provide for generating a gas of thenature of that generally termed producer-gas and also gas of the natureof that termed Water-gas, drawing thern'irom the generating or producingfurnaces by exhaust action or equivalent means and, during themanufacture, and while they are subjected to the action of exhaust,mixing the gases of the two kinds in a-predetermined proportion to havethem give the most effective and economical results as a motiveagent inan explosive engine of several hundred horsepower.

' Heretofore gas engines have been operated by i1lu minating gas, andattempts have been made to operate engines otone hundred horse-power andmore with wator-gas. But the flame. temperature and heat units of suchgas have been found to be too high to give satisfactory results. Theexplosions produced by watergas, owing probably to the large percentageof hydrogen therein, are too sharp and quick; the inertia oi the heavyengine parts is too great to be eficiently overcome; the gas is'apt tofire back; and the engines are so strained and racked that an unevenpower is generated.

Water gas ignites at so low a temperature that when properly mixed withair for the explosive charge in a gas engine the charge will explodeprematurely during com ressio'n, due to the heat caused b com ression.

P Y P and the hot internal parts. The effect of a premature explosion isto immediately slow down the engine and put undue strain on. its workingparts Since the efi'iciency of a gas engine increases with thecompression of the charge it is important. to have a gas that will standhigh compression,

0n the other hand, a gas having the characteristics I of producer-gas,has also been found to be not available because of the large percentageof carbonaceous constituentsunfixed carbon and nitrogen, these not onlycausing sluggishness in the explosion, but also tending to leave solarge a quantity of residual matter in the form of sooty or tarry bodiesas to seriously interiere with, and finally render inoperative thevarious ports or passageways and the valves and small moving parts ofthe engine.

By varying the calorific value and constituents of the gas produced anddelivered by the one apparatus, a mixture can be made of such quality asis best adapted for use in the particular engine it must operate.

We have found that a mixture of water-gas and producer-gas inpredetermined proportions (varied to meet the variations in theconstitution of the gases due to variations in the constituents of theinitial luel mate rial and to variations in conditions of production)gives a substantially uniform body which can be used with greatefficiency in high power explosive engines.

The various steps-which we follow and the various devices which weemploy from the time the fuel is initially introduced to the time thatit is exploded in the engine will be readily understood from thedescription below, taken in connection with the drawhigs herewithpresented which illustrate mechanism that can be used for this purpose,and illustrate also a series of steps such as conform to our improvedprocess.

Figure 1 shows in side elevation one form of apparatus by which ourimproved method can be carried out, of operating a gas engine andsupplying it with a proportioned mixture of produceras and water-gas.Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the connected generators anda steamboiler, parts being shown in sections. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig.1, showing an apparatus containing our improvements.

' The generators A and B are constructed of brick inclosed in iron.jackets in the usual manner and are pro vided with grates b, of anydesh'edeonstruction, and with ash pits The. generators are connected atthe top by a pipe or fiue O, and are gonnected at the base or ash pits Xby gas outlet pipes D, D having valves 03, d.with the base of thetubular steam boiler E, having at top and bottom, the gas chambers e, eand tubes 5 connecting the upper and lower tube sheets. A gas outletpipe F, having a valve f, connects with the up per gas chamber 6 andwith the base of the scrubber G, and a gas outlet pipe H, having a valve31, leads from the top of the scrubber down to the main gas exhauster KThe main gas takeoff pipe L leads from the under side of the exhausterand connects by thebranch pipe L, having a valve Z, with theholder O forproducer-gas or a mixture of producer-gas and water-gas. A branch 40branch pipemay take gas to any other place of use.

2 seame- 5 The pipe T, having'a valve t, leads from the holder P andconnects with the top of the small exhauster It. The discharge pipe Tfrom exhauster R is provided with a valve t and connects with pipe Lbeyond its valve 1 for supplying a definite proportion of Watergas andmixing it with the producer-gas which is being passed through pipe Linto the holder 0. A by-pass and circulating pipe 1, having a valve r",connects the outlet pipe T with the inletpipe T ofthe exhauster R. A-by-pass and circulating pipe k connects the outlet pipe L with theinlet-pipe H of the exhauster K, and is provided with the valve is. Theexhauster, K is driven by the engine I having a shaft a whichgi'scoupled directly to the shaft of the exhauster. The opposite end of theshaft i is provided with a cone pulley g, which connects by a belt 0with a cone pulley g on the shaft of the auxiliary exhauster B. Whenboth holders are full, or holder 0, only, is full of gas, or if forother reason it is desired to stop,. or reduce the generation of gas,the valve k in by-passpipe kmay be opened,

while the exhauster is kept running, and gas will be v drawal of gas. Ina similar manner the by-pass pipe 7 and valve 1 may be used forcirculating water-gas instead of stopping the. exhauster R. Steam supplypipes S and S connect by branch pipes s and s, each having a valve,withthe top and bottom of each of the generators A and B for supplyingsteam to -be passed either up or down through the bodies of incandescentfuel in making water-gas. A gas outlet-pipe Q, having a valve q, leadsfrom holder 0 for taking mixed producer-gas and water-gas to agas-engine W, and. a

W indicates a' gas engine connecting by pipe to with holder U. Thisengine W may be of any of the usual styles or of any preferred sort sofar as concerns the principle of construction ,of its several parts. The

present invention is more particularly applicable to exerts a powerfulsuction action, by means of which gas is drawn through pipe Q whichcommunicates with ,3 holder 0.

With the apparatus shown in Fig. 3, the operation of making and mixingproducer-gas and water-gas and supplying the engine may be conducted asfollows:

Fires are kindled on the grates in generators A and B, and at firstallowed to burn by natural draft while fuel is gradually fed. in andignited. The valves l and n being closed, and the stack valve 1 andother valves beftween'the stack and generators being open and the lidsa; wholly, or partly, open, the exhauster K is operated to draw air downinto the bodies of ignited fuel, and

draw the resulting gas off from the bases of the generators, throughboiler E and scrubber G, and discharge '65- it up the stack M. soon asgood producer-gas is geherated the stack valve Z is closed, valve-lopened, and the producer-gas is discharged into the holder 0.- Tue stackvalve 1 is only open while the bodies of fuel ar being heated to theproper condition for making gas.

D eeplbedies of fuel in generators A and B l iaving been heated toincandescence, water-gas may e made, and for this purpose the top lids xare clostd, valve d closed, valve Z closed, valvem opened and steamvalve s opened, admitting steam into the ash pit of generator A. Steampasses up into the body of incandescent fuel in generator A where it isdecomposed and the resulting water-gas passes through top pipe G intogenerator Randthence down through the body of incandescent fuelthereiirwhere any ac companying vapors are decomposed, and carbonic acidconverted into carbon monoxid, making a we1lfixed I high grade watergas. This gas is drawn off by the exhauster through pipe 1), boiler E,and scrubber G and discharged into the water-gas holder P. .Watergas isthus made till the temperature of the fuel is reduced too low foreffectively decomposing steam and then the steam is shut off, the toplids a: opened, valve (I opened, valve n closed and valve 1 opened andpro- 4 ducer-gas again made and delivered into the holder 0.

When it is again desired to make water-gas we preierably close valve11'' in gas outlet pipe D, and admit steam into the base of generator B.Steam is then docomposed by passage up through the incandescent fuel ingenerator B, and the resulting gas down through the bed of fuel ingenerator A, and the resulting watergas is drawn off by the exhausts rthrough pipe I), the steam boiler and scrubber, and discharged intoholder P.

A sufficient quantity of watergas having been stored in the holder P,the auxiliary exhausterR is used to deliver a fixed proportion of.watergas with producergas into the holder 0 for mixed gas. The exhausterR and the valves 1" and t are operated as follows:

When the exhauster K is operating and delivering producer-gas throughvalve Z, the valves t and Z are "opened and the by-pass valve 1 isclosed, and the exhauster R will operate to draw water-gas from theholder P and deliver it through pipe Tl into the holder 0 at a rateproportional to the delivery of producergas by the exhauster K.

By shifting the belt 0 on the cone pulleys g and g the proportion ofWater-gas to producer-gas can be increased or decreased. The mixture oiwater-gas and producer-gas in definite and any desired proportions canthus be stored in the holder 0 and delivered to gas engines or otherplaces of use.

When Water-gas is being delivered through-valve n to the holder P, valvei may be closed and the bypass valve r" may be opened, so that nowater-gas passes into the mixed gas holder 0, except when producer-gasis also being delivered into said holder 0.

After a measured volume of producer-gas has been stored in holder 0, thesupply of producer-gas thereto may be stopped, and then a measuredvolume of watergas is passed into holder O, being drawn from holder P,or directly from the generator. The gases will mix by diffusion inholder 0 and may be delivered, in a suitably mixed condition, therefromto gas-engine W. It will be understood that the dimensions of the partswhich generate the gas, as well as those by which the gas is carriedfrom. point to point and those of the storing vessels or holders, andalso the speeds of the several operative parts, will be particularlyrelated to the capacity and demand of the gas engine W so'that therewill be as near as practicable a constant quantity of accuratelyproportioned and comiriingled gases in the holder U, ready to sustainthe operation of the engine..-

Gas-engines of the heavy power class require, first, explosions of apeculiar character, second, cleanliness alter explosion, and, third,that the explosion should be relatively prolonged in time. If a gassimilar to producer-gas and having only the qualities andcharacteristics of that gas be delivered, alone, to the gas englue itmay furnish material for explosions, but these are accompanied by, orresult in, several disadvantageous matters, as for instance, a slownessand slug-- 'gishness in the firing of the gas or explosion withliability of incompleteness ot' combustion, secondly, the depositing ofcarbonaceous matters of a sooty or tarry character. On the other hand,ifa gas having the qualities and characteristics of water-gas bedelivered alone, to a gas engine explosions will occur which, thoughthey may not result in the disadvantages incident to the producer-gas,and will leave the valves and other parts of the engine in a cleanlycondition, are, nevertheless, not efficient with engines of the largersort, as the inipulscsare too quick, short, sharp and \'iolent, and willnot work advantageously in a long or laterally expanded explosionchamber or piston-driving chamber.

instead of operating a gas-engine with gaseous bodies of the above sortsWe provide an explosive agent containing intelligently ,and accuratelypredetermined proportions of these two widely differing gaseous bodieswith the result that the producer-gas is, by the water- 'gas, caused toniore'thoroughly and uniformly and somewhat more rapidly explode thanwould be the commingling them in proportions subject to variationcorresponding to the variations in their constitution which result fromdifferent fuel materials or from different conditions in production, thegas engineer is prd vided with a. means for obtaining explosions withcomplete combustion and of such character that he can impart to hislarge and relatively slowly moving piston exceedingly eflicicnt energyimpulses.

We do not herein presen u specific claims for the com? bination ofgenerator, exhauster, a holder for the producer gas, a holder for watergas, and means for sup plying gas from one holder to .the other,preparatory to supplying the mixture to the gas engine, as wehavepresented that specific subject matter in claims in our applicationSerial No. 306,014, originally filed Decemher 7 1903, and co-pendingwith this present case, and on which application Patent'No. 833,137 wasissued, October .9, 1906, of which application, Serial No. 305.014, thepresent is a division.

Having described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is'

1. The method of operating a gas engine and supplying explosivemixed-gas thereto, consisting in first passing air through a chambercontaining a body of ignited fuel and drawing from said chamber a volumeof producer gas. cleaning said gas, and storing it in a holder, forminga volume of waterqzas by passing steam through said body of fucl andstoring it separately from said producer gas, then cornmingling in a gasholder or otherwise predetermined quantities of each of said gases andwithdrawing volun'ies of the mixture and delivering them directly to agas engine and exploding them therein, substantially as described.

2. The method of operating explosive gas engines and of supplyingexplosive gases thereto, which consists in depositing carbonaceousmaterial ina gas-producing chamber. forming therewith during intervalsgas substantially such as is termed producer-gas, withdrawing the saidgas and temporarily storing it as a separate body in a holder and atintervening intervals generating in said fuel water gas. withdrawingsaid water-gas and storing it in a separate temporary holder,subsequently commingling volumes pf the producer-gas and volumes of theWater-gas in variable but predetermined proportions at will, drawingcharges of the said commingled gases into, and exploding them in, theexplosion chamber of a gas engineQsnid steps being prosecutedsubstantially as set forth, whereby the sharpness and quickness of theexplosions of pure watergas are avoided and said water-gas is utilizedto cause the complete and uniform explosive reaction of the constitincuts of the producer-gas, substantially as described.

The herein described method of operating gas engines and supplying gasthereto, consisting in first producing a volume of gas of the characterof producer gas, cleaning, cooling and storing it in a holder, formingseparately a volume of water-gas, cleaning, cooling and storing it: in aseparate holder, causing variable quantities of the'sald separatelycollected gases to be commingled in predeiermlucd proportions, anddelivering the mixture to, and ,gcausing its explosion in the engine,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereot ive uflix our signature in presence of twowitnesses.

/ BURDETT LOOMIS.

- HAWLEY PETTIBONI Witnesses:

HARRISON B. FREEMAN, J12,

Emu, R. i'oULsoN.

